Florida State College at Jacksonville is a member of the Florida College System and is not affiliated with any other public or private university or college in Florida or elsewhere. Florida State College is a division of Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Florida State College at Jacksonville is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the baccalaureate and associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida State College at Jacksonville. The Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.

SLS 1103 and SLS 0005 Requirement

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the policy?

Students who test into one or more college prep discipline areas will be required to take a four credit college prep SLS course (*SLS 0005 - Foundations of College Success) or a three credit SLS course (SLS 1103 - Strategies for Success in College, Career and Life). Students will take the SLS course in the first term of enrollment at the college or after satisfying the REA prerequisite requirement for the course (testing at the level of REA 0008 or above, or completion of REA 0006). Students who are taking SLS 0005 or SLS 1103 under this requirement cannot drop or withdraw from their SLS class without seeing a counselor or advisor—doing so will drop a student’s entire schedule.

Please note that only SLS 1103 and SLS 0005 can satisfy the requirement. Other Florida State College Student Life Skills (SLS) courses cannot be used to satisfy the requirement.

*SLS 0005 is numbered like a college prep course and will not count towards any degree but will count towards full time attendance.

What is the reason for the policy?

There is ample research that proves the academic benefits of student success courses (like SLS 1103 and SLS 0005) for students who need college prep classes. Data at Florida State College also indicate that students who take these courses are more likely to continue their studies from term to term and succeed in completing their degrees more often.

Who is required to take the SLS 1103 or SLS 0005?

Students seeking an A.A., A.S. and/or A.A.S. degree who test into one or more college prep discipline areas (reading, English, math) are required to take SLS 0005 or SLS 1103.

When did the requirement go into effect?

The SLS policy went into effect fall term 2005. The revised SLS Requirement policy went into effect starting in fall term 2009.

What does SLS stand for?

Student Life Skills.

Are there any prerequisites for the SLS courses (SLS 1103 and SLS 0005)?

Yes. Both of the SLS courses (SLS 1103 and SLS 0005) have a co-requisite of placement into REA 0008 or higher. For students under the SLS requirement who require reading remediation, a minimum reading placement into REA 0008 or higher is required for enrollment in SLS, so a student who places into REA0006 must still complete the SLS requirement but cannot take SLS until successfully completing REA 0006. Students under the SLS requirement who do not require reading remediation (i.e., students who require only math and writing remediation) are ready to enroll in SLS.

When do students have to complete the SLS requirement?

* Students who are under the requirement receive a registration message (1207) that says students must register for the course in the first semester of enrollment.
* Students who remain under the requirement in their second semester because they have not successfully completed the requirement during their first semester will not be permitted to register for second semester courses until registering for SLS. After registering for the SLS course in the second semester of enrollment at Florida State College, students will be able to register for other courses in the second semester. If students attempt to drop SLS in the second semester, all courses on the students’ second semester schedule will be dropped. (Students who are attempting to switch SLS sections- not simply drop SLS– should see an advisor to assist them with this process.)
* Students who do not successfully complete the requirement after two semesters will not be permitted to register for courses in the third semester. Please see your advisor for assistance.

Can a student be exempted from the SLS requirement?

No. The college knows that this course will be beneficial to our students’ academic success in college and wants to provide every available tool to help our students succeed.

How is the SLS four-credit course (SLS 0005) different from the SLS 1103 course?

This course is specifically designed to help college prep students. The SLS three-credit course (SLS 1103) counts towards the A.A. degree as an elective. The SLS four-credit course (SLS 0005) offers more time and focus on the academic and personal skills needed for success in college. SLS 0005 is numbered like a college prep course and will not count towards any degree but will count towards full time attendance. Students are not encouraged to take both of these SLS courses but rather just one.

Who should take the four-credit SLS course (SLS 0005)?

There are three scenarios where a student may want to take the four-credit SLS course (SLS 0005 - Foundations of College Success):

If your program doesn’t allow for it: Students in certain college degree programs are limited in the number of college credits earned within their program of study. The four-credit version of the course allows students to take the course without adding unnecessary credit hours. Students should consult their program advisors for specific information.

A student needs 12 credit hours to be full-time: If a student is enrolled in 8 credit hours during his or her first term, and needs four more credits to achieve full-time enrollment status, the four-credit SLS 0005 may be a more suitable choice. By taking the SLS 0005 version of this course, the student would have a full 12 hour schedule without having to take an additional course.

Scholarships: Some students on scholarship are limited in the type of courses they may take. Many of these scholarships won’t allow students to take courses outside their field of study but will pay for college prep classes.

Can a student take one of these courses even if he or she is not required to?

Yes! We would recommend it. The SLS 1103 or 0005 course is an excellent opportunity to learn skills that will serve students in college and life. Students should be sure to check with their academic advisor to ensure that the course will fit within the needs of their program. SLS 0005 is numbered like a college prep course and will not count towards any degree but will count towards full time attendance. SLS 1103 counts towards the AA degree as an elective.

Won’t this requirement delay a student’s college completion?

It might, but think of a college student’s academic career as a train trip. If you were leaving today for a 10,000 mile journey, you would carefully pack all the items you need for the trip before you left.

As students begin their college career, Florida State College wants to ensure that they have the best academic voyage possible and that they’re ready to fully engage, appreciate and benefit from the experience. The SLS 1103 and 0005 courses have been created to do just that. From our view, it’s much better to be delayed than derailed. SLS Requirement was put into place because students who take SLS are substantially more likely to persist in school and achieve success in other courses.

Are there any scholarships that will help pay for the course SLS 1103 and SLS 0005?

No, there are no SLS Scholarships available. The SLS scholarship program has been discontinued.

Do other SLS courses satisfy the requirement?

The following courses do not satisfy the SLS Requirement for students who have placed into two or more college preparatory areas:

SLS 1201 - Personal Development

SLS 1301 - Career Planning and the World of Work

SLS 1371 - Portfolio Development for Prior Learning

SLS 1401 - Computerized Career Exploration

SLS 1931 - Selected Topics in Student Life Skills

SLS 1933 - Selected Topics in Student Life Skills

SLS 1932 - Selected Topics in Student Life Skills

Do SLS courses from other colleges satisfy the requirement?

If a student has taken an SLS course at an institution that does not participate in State Course Numbering System for SLS courses, the transfer course will be evaluated by Florida State College. If the evaluation determines that the transfer course is equal to SLS 0005 or SLS 1103, then the transfer course will satisfy the SLS requirement. If the transfer course is evaluated to be equivalent to another SLS course offered at Florida State College, (see list above), the transfer course will not satisfy the SLS requirement. Transfer students should request that official transcripts from all colleges attended be sent to the Student Records Office, Florida State College, P.O. Box 40515, Jacksonville, FL 32203-0515. For additional information, refer to the incoming transfer students section.

For more information about the SLS 1103 or SLS 0005 requirement, students should contact Counseling/Advising.